Chinoiserie Saint Francis

When I saw this finely carved “ivoryesque” figurine at a church thrift store for a song, I couldn’t resist.

He is a Chinoiserie version of Saint Francis. See the little birds he is holding?

He looks right at home in my Chinoiserie powder room.

The wallpaper also has birds on it, do you see those storks to the left of the figurine?  
This little illustration shows one of my favorite decorating secrets, which I happily share:

Repeat, repeat, repeat.

It is visually and artistically pleasing to use repetition.

The eye will pick up on repetition as it processes what it sees in a room.

Sometimes the conscious mind does not recognize the repetition, but the subconscious mind has processed it as pleasing.

So, in the above vignette, the Chinoiserie St. Francis repeats several things from the wallpaper:

the antique cream color, the Chinoiserie style, the birds,  the figural images, and even the cross-hatching in his hat is also in the wallpaper.

Take another peek and you will see these things that perhaps you didn’t notice before they were pointed out.

Now, let’s look at some elements in another room, images below.

Notice the repetitive geometric motif, diamond shapes, which I have broken down individually.

Diamond shapes are repeated throughout the room. You probably wouldn’t even notice.

Image ©Color Calling

Cut velvet upholstery, Image ©Color Calling

And here

Drapery trim Image ©Color Calling

Subtle, very subtle.

Powerful, very powerful when used together.

Because of the repetition.

Repetition, one of the best ideas in any good design professional’s bag of tricks.

Are you using repetition effectively to please the eye in the rooms in your home?